The concept of experiencing romance for the first time is a tried and tested trope in shows, movies, literature, and music. Hikaru Utada’s global 1990’s hit “First Love” which tackles this theme is one of the most successful Japanese pop songs worldwide. It perfectly captures the yearning and grief associated with an all consuming love which ended but still haunts the person who felt it.
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Almost two decades later, Netflix produced a series directly inspired by this song and its 2018 follow up track called “Hatsukoi.” It stars Takeru Satoh (“Rurouni Kenshin”, “If Cats Disappeared from the World”), Hikari Mitsushima (“Love Exposure”), as well as Yagi Rikako and Taisei Kido. Consisting of cliches which are woven beautifully, it depicts fated love and serves as a great introduction to Japanese melodramas for audiences worldwide.
Spanning two decades, it narrates the story of Yae (Riko/Mitsushima) and Harumichi (Kido/Satoh), as wide-eyed, radiant, optimistic teenagers in the late 1990s who meet and fall in love during high school, endure a long distance romance in college, and eventually separate due to an unfortunate circumstance. Fast forward to the 2020s, they cross paths again but are now jaded adults who have given up on their dreams. Yae, a cab driver, is a single mother to Tsuzuru, while Harumichi works as a security guard and is engaged to his long-time girlfriend Tsunemi (Kaho).
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There are many praise-worthy aspects of the drama. The screenplay, cinematography, and music accurately capture the emotions conveyed by the two songs where it was based on. A major strength is its talented ensemble cast who portrayed their roles excellently. Among the four leads, Mitsushima and Kido are standouts. The former as the adult Yae elicits empathy, as viewers get to witness her sincerity, quiet strength and innate kindness despite what life has thrown at her as a wife, then a single mother, and a taxi driver who lost her spark to dream for a better life. It’s lovely to witness her gain newfound hope and vigor in life when she gets to know and interact with Harumichi again. The way she brings life to how her character is written is impressive, and the viewers will surely wish for her happiness.
Kido exudes strong and charming screen presence and perfectly embodies his character’s earnestness. It’s his biggest role yet, and he embodies it with gusto and brilliance. With his superb and remarkable performance, he owns the role. It’s difficult to imagine any other actor who will give justice to how he gives life to Harumichi. Given his portrayal, one may fully understand the somehow questionable choices and actions done by his older self.
Yagi is also a capable lead actress in this series, as she is perfectly cast as Mitsushima’s younger counterpart. Others may find them as not really resembling each other’s appearance, but the former’s portrayal easily charms audiences. She is able to depict her character’s pure-heartedness, child-like wonder, and potential, that from Yae’s youth until adulthood, we will root for her and want her to finally fulfill her heart’s desires. She matches Kido’s energy and performance, and their chemistry is so strong that their heart-fluttering scenes are natural and effective.
Satoh’s interpretation of the older version of the male lead is also commendable. This is where his nuanced acting works best, as it demands him to depict how certain life circumstances have weighed down an individual. Written as a somewhat grey character, he effectively causes dissonance among viewers who also empathize with Kaho and eventually redeems himself in the second to the last episode.
As the writer and director, Yuri Kanchiku wears double hats and is in full control of this production. While marketed as a romantic series, it also delivers a narrative which deals with other themes aside from love, as it delves into the major characters’ identities- as a child, parent, sibling, and friend. For instance, a considerable amount of time is spent on showing the mother and son’s bond. In her adult years, Yae’s sacrifices and challenges as a divorcee and single parent are explored. We see her maximize her time with her son and try to relate to his interests. It’s also important to note that in the latest time axes, both of them get to experience romance and heartbreak at the same time, with her son becoming infatuated with Uta and her being in love with Harumichi again. From time to time, viewers will also get a glimpse of her son’s relationship with his father who is not keen on supporting his dream to pursue music. In Harumichi’s case, in a touching sixth episode, his closeness with and protective tendencies for his deaf and mute sister are also briefly portrayed. At the same time, a glimpse of his sister and Yae’s friendship which is borne out of the latter’s effort to learn sign language is also shown.
Every episode is shot like a movie and the visuals are breathtaking. This is a testament of how great Junichiro Nakamura and Kazuma Shinde handled the cinematography. The shift from the past and present timelines may be confusing at first, but eventually it proves to be thoughtfully executed. The editing enables the audience to understand the characters more and figure out even the smallest details’ connection to the story. Music adds charm and emotional appeal to the series. It also serves as its important component. The song “First Love” is played in the key moments in the past and present period which leaves a lasting impressions on the viewers. The inclusion of English songs, aside from Utada’s tracks, also seems like a conscious effort to market the series to overseas audiences.
Despite the inclusion of several tropes, witnessing the story of Yae and Harumichi is still a worthwhile journey to embark on. The series is a brilliantly executed romance drama.
